I love these anthologies where each story is related somehow and you learn more about the "world" as the stories unfold. John Scalzi has put together a series of stories about America in the near future. He calls it the near future but I call it Green Punk because had history unfolded differently it could easily take place in our present. We are probably one oil tanker spill, and several natural disasters away from living in this world. It is a world of low carbon footprint vs Capitol vs biotechnology. These are things we struggle with today. Trying to be ecologically responsible. Metatropolis is where it could head. I just really enjoyed listening. The narrators are top rate. I am sure they are many audible favorites; like one of mine, Scott Brick. I love that John Scalzi gives some provenance before each story about how the story came about. Every time I read/listen to something new from him it is my new favorite. What a gift, I received this book free from audible. Anyway if you like these stories I would like to suggest similar books on audible. First Junkie Quatrain is an anthology of short stories by Peter Clines about a post apocalyptic world. All the stories are different but connect somehow. If you like anthologies John Scalzi put together a great anthology called Rip Off by top notch sci fi writers. You don't have to be a sci fi fan to enjoy it. It is a nod to classic literature. Here again he prefaces this book with a little about the story which is an extra treat.

The Return of the Discontinued Man: Burton & Swinburne, Book 5

It's 9 p.m. on February 15, 1860, and Charles Babbage, the British Empire's most brilliant scientist, performs an experiment. Within moments, blood red snow falls from the sky and Spring Heeled Jack pops out of thin air in London's Leicester Square. Though utterly disoriented and apparently insane, the strange creature is intent on one thing: hunting Sir Richard Francis Burton!

Of course I love this series it is Steampunk in its purest form. Unlike the 4th in the series this book does not stand alone. You will want to listen to the first three or you might not understand what is happening. They are trying to save the life of Edward Oxford and/or correct o riff in the time continuum. The usual suspects and the heirs are on hand for the adventures. I love this series every book goes through all ranges of emotions. This particular book, however, gets a little muddled. The time travel is a little camp and I don't expect that from this series. The timelines change so much it is hard to keep track of what is happening and what did/did not happen as a result. This story is of course fate vs free will and still has not been answered. But I guess we can see why the federation had to have a prime directive lol. Anyway it was not my favorite of the series,which continues to be The Expeditions to The Mountains of the Moon, But It still is a good listen and although it is 15 hours it goes by really fast and leaves you wanting more.

All new and original to this volume, the 21 stories in Dangerous Women include work by 12 New York Times best sellers, and seven stories set in the authors’ best-selling continuities - including a new "Outlander" story by Diana Gabaldon, a tale of Harry Dresden’s world by Jim Butcher, a story from Lev Grossman set in the world of The Magicians, and a 35,000-word novella by George R. R. Martin about the Dance of the Dragons, the vast civil war that tore Westeros apart nearly two centuries before the events of A Game of Thrones.

The variety of genres and authors in this anthology is wonderful. My favorites were by Sanderson, Gabaldon, Block and of course Martin. All these stories are vastly different so there is something for every mood. The narrators are top class. Scott. Brick, Sophie Turner, Jonathon Frakes among my favorite narrators

What did you like best about this story?

Probably every genre is represented here. Leaning more on sci fi but there is something for everyone. Like a lot of collections, some of the stories are parts of a larger story. However this book is edited in such away that you can enjoy each story separately. I really enjoyed the Jim Butcher story even thought I don't read the Dresden Files. I am a huge fan of song of Ice and Fire so I really enjoyed Dance of Dragons. But Who doesn't love to hear about a Dragon War.

What about the narrators’s performance did you like?

Scott Brick is one of my favorite narrators on audible. I also enjoy Jonathan Frakes.Sophie Turner did a great job also.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

We'll it was 32 hours long so no. But I did get through it in a week because I couldn't wait to hear the next . All the stories were so different so no getting bored.

Any additional comments?

This was a great anthology everyone should be able to enjoy. Although it contains a lot of science fiction/fantasy it also has horror, mystery, thriller, historical fiction.. This was a lot of entertainment for a credit. But George please stop writing these side stories and finish a song of ice and fire

Ready Player One

At once wildly original and stuffed with irresistible nostalgia, Ready Player One is a spectacularly genre-busting, ambitious, and charming debut—part quest novel, part love story, and part virtual space opera set in a universe where spell-slinging mages battle giant Japanese robots, entire planets are inspired by Blade Runner, and flying DeLoreans achieve light speed.

Where does Ready Player One rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I really enjoyed this book. The premise was very inventive and I feel it could appeal to a wide variety of people. Actually I think it should be required reading in High Schools so teenagers can A understand the 80s and B see where we are headed. The more we connect the less we connect.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I think H. His character treated people with respect. Their is more to that but I would be spoiling to go into more detail.

Have you listened to any of Wil Wheaton’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I am a huge John Scalzi fan so yes I have listened to Will Wheaton before. Actually Will Wheaton is pretty amazing. I was thinking when I was listening what a great actor he is. He really embodies the part of Artemis. But he always embodies his characters. Sometimes with Scalzi it is kind of camp to have Wil Wheaton narrating so I think his talent goes unnoticed. Although, I knew,when he read a short story by Scalzi in Rip Off which was outside the usual Scalzi, that Wil will rise to the challenge.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I did listen to it a lot and got through it relatively fast. It was exciting when he would get close and then suffer setbacks so it definitely kept you interested but it was 15 hours long so no I didn't listen in one sitting.

Any additional comments?

This book was on my wish list for a long time. It was reviewed by several people I am following. For the life of me I don't know why I took so long to listen to it. It was great.My advice would be do not pass go Do not Collect $200 just Ready Player One Go

Collusion

Jack Lennon is a Detective Inspector trying to track down his former lover, Marie McKenna, and their daughter -- but his superiors tell him to back off. Bull O'Kane is a bitter old man who will stop at nothing for vengeance. The Traveller is an assassin without pity or remorse, who stalks Belfast, tying up loose ends. Forced into the center of it all is former IRA paramilitary Gerry Fegan, who must confront his past -- and The Traveller -- for the fight of his life.

When deciding on which book book I wanted to spend my credit on I was choosing between Adrian Mcginty follow up to Cold Cold Ground or Stuart Nevilles Ghost of Belfast. I like the way Mcginty tells a story using time, place, and politics as the backdrop to really enhance the plot. However, I liked the story that Neville was telling.This book takes place in the aftermath of the Ghosts of Belfast where more than one corrupt faction does not want to let it go.Our anti hero,Fagan, was trying to get justice for the people he had killed. He was a young man literally haunted by past and one wee girl Ellen McKenna, helped him find some redemption. Now someone is after everyone involved in "the feud" and it is up to Fagan and Ellen's father DI Lennon to keep her safe. This book contained a lot of action and suspense along with heart. It is also beautifully narrated by Gerard Doyle. . Also if you like Nevile books you might also enjoy Adrian McGinty. They are both narrated by Gerard Doyle who has to be my favorite narrator.

Alas, Babylon

This true modern masterpiece is built around the two fateful words that make up the title and herald the end - “Alas, Babylon.” When a nuclear holocaust ravages the United States, a thousand years of civilization are stripped away overnight, and tens of millions of people are killed instantly. But for one small town in Florida, miraculously spared, the struggle is just beginning, as men and women of all backgrounds join together to confront the darkness....

Would you consider the audio edition of Alas, Babylon to be better than the print version?

The narration was perfect for this book. The whole time I was listening I was thinking that the author did a great job with the material,

What other book might you compare Alas, Babylon to and why?

Funny you should ask because I just got done listening to 1225 Christmas Tree Ln Which is a cedar cove novel. It was about a community of people who helped each other get through difficult situations. This book was about how the community helped each other through hard times. This book was written in 1959 about nuclear war. The other one was just about what to do with 12 orphan puppies. They both had the same theme. Alas Babylon was obviously more intense because the stakes were higher.

Which scene was your favorite?

When the youngest member of the community asked the oldest member of the community for advise. They both were feeling helpless to contribute and they both found out they did have something to offer.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

There were a lot of parts that moved me.it was about surviving and their perseverance to carry on. The main character, especially, decided it is not going to end this way.

Any additional comments?

I feel like the story and narration came together as a real great experience.

Precious Ramotswe has taken on two puzzling cases. First, she is approached by the lawyer Mma Sheba, who is the executor of a deceased farmer’s estate. Mma Sheba has a feeling that the young man who has stepped forward may be falsely impersonating the farmer’s nephew in order to claim his inheritance. Mma Ramotswe agrees to visit the farm and find out what she can about the self-professed nephew. Then the proprietor of the Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon comes to Mma Ramotswe for advice.

Alexander McCall Smith, Thank you for giving me such joy in all your series. No 1 Ladies Detective Agency still has my number one Lady detectives. Mma Ramotswe always gets to the bottom and the heart of the mystery. She does this through integrity, keen observation, Clovis Anderson's rules of private detection and a little help from her friends.Can't wait for the next installment when Mma Makutse is full partner. I am sure it will be funny and heartwarming.

The Stingray Shuffle

In his latest bizarre concoction, Dorsey picks up - sort of - various plot strands from his earlier books, including Florida Roadkill, Hammerhead Ranch Motel, and Orange Crush. There's still the matter, you see, of the briefcase full of cash, and still unresolved are the stories of Serge Storms, the serial killer and history buff; Johnny Vegas, the startlingly handsome virgin; Jethro Maddox, the Hemingway look-alike; and Paul, the Passive-Aggressive Private Eye. Fans of Dorsey's magnificently off-kilter adventures will be thrilled to rejoin these characters....

Would you consider the audio edition of The Stingray Shuffle to be better than the print version?

I am sure it is. The tongue in cheek performance made me laugh and groan.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

The plot kept me falling off my seat laughing. Serge and company are successful mobsters through a comedy of errors. This was my first Dorsey, will not be my last. They remind me of the bumbling villains found in Carol Higgins Clark novels. And the very satisfying way it all comes together in the end

What about George K. Wilson’s performance did you like?

The way way he does the voices and the accents are funny. I also enjoy how he is very serious about these characters trials and tribulations. I was ROFLMAO

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Most definitely, the twist and turns were so hilarious. A lot of the time your thinking" I know where this is going" and then "what just happened here" funny

Any additional comments?

Will definitely be reading some more Dorsey. It was not what I expected. Actually it was better than expected.

Bertie Plays the Blues: A 44 Scotland Street Novel, Book 7

Domestic bliss seems in short supply at 44 Scotland Street. Over at the Pollocks', dad, Stuart, is harbouring a secret about a secret society and Bertie is feeling kind of blue. Having had enough of his neurotic hot-housing mother, he puts himself up for adoption on eBay. Will he go to the highest bidder or will he have to take matters into his own hands? Will the lovelorn Big Lou find true love on the Internet? And will Angus Lordie and Domenica make it up the aisle? Catch up with all your favorite faces down in 44 Scotland Street as we follow their daily pursuit of a little happiness.

Another adventure from our friends on Scotland St. Matt and Elsbeth struggle with parenthood in triplicate. Bertie still wonders what it is like to be seven. It is all very touching and funny and just great to hear about the people on Scotland st. I feel like everyone can relate to some aspect of every character. I even caught myself empathizing with Irene. I am always very sad when Angus reads his poem to his friends because that means this installment has come to an end. I can't wait for the next one. Will Mathew and Elsbeth find "harmony" in their family? Can Pat wash Bruce ( or at least give him a good gel) out of her hair? Will big Lou find love? Will Cyril be able to love Dominica as much as Angus? And most importantly will Bertie ever be seven? All things I will ponder as I patiently await the next installment. In the meantime Mma Ramotswe is on the case so thank you Alexander McCall Smith for the hours of enjoyment you have given me.

Thunderhead

Nora Kelly, a young archaeologist in Santa Fe, receives a letter written 16 years ago, yet mysteriously mailed only recently. In it her father, long believed dead, hints at a fantastic discovery that will make him famous and rich - the lost city of an ancient civilization that suddenly vanished a thousand years ago. Now Nora is leading an expedition into a harsh, remote corner of Utah's canyon country, but what she unearths will be the newest of horrors.

This was a book about archeology and magic, no surprise there. What is so great about Lincoln and Child is that every word brings some kind of emotion. Thriller, suspense, shock, romance you name it. And although the story may be 17 hours in length you are engaged from word one. No fillers. Every bit of the story kept you in suspense. Plus I just love the way they combine modern technology with old school pirate tales. In addition, the archeologist go to digs to uncover a mystery but they end up unleashing something supernatural. It's a great exciting story that was hard to put down because at every turn your like oh no what is happening next. Also Scott Brick always a great narrator.

The Ocean at the End of the Lane: A Novel

A middle-aged man returns to his childhood home to attend a funeral. He is drawn to the farm at the end of the road, where, when he was seven, he encountered a most remarkable girl, Lettie Hempstock. Forty years earlier, a man committed suicide in a stolen car at this farm at the end of the road. Like a fuse on a firework, his death lit a touchpaper. The darkness was unleashed, something scary and thoroughly incomprehensible to a little boy. And Lettie - magical, comforting, wise beyond her years - promised to protect him, no matter what.

There was a really great line in this book where the children opined what if adults are really just scared children disguised in grown up bodies. (Paraphrased) It was an adult remembering something that had happened in his childhood the way be remembered it as a child. It really brings you back to the way you looked at things as a child. When , in retrospect, the way you understood the events was not reality. I feel like it is a great story that makes you long for the freedom you had as a child but at the same time remember how you were controlled by your dependence on other people, like your parents. Anyway, this story was kind of an adult look back at Nanny McPhee meets Coraline. It was fabulous and certainly worth the credit. Final note about Neil Gaiman narrating it hisself. I personally enjoyed the narration. However, I can see where people would be disappointed. I mean Neil Gaiman has paired a lot of perfect narrators with authors. So maybe there was a better narrator out there.

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